Revolver case sizing depth ?

[Toprudder]

A third solution is to use a Lee Factory Crimp die, unscrew the crimp adjustment so it does not crimp or take it all the way off. Use the carbide ring to size the body of the case down slightly but not enough for neck tension. Then size the neck with a normal carbide sizing die just enough length to hold the bullet.

I have started doing just this. The Redding dual-ring would do it all in one step, but is very expensive.

 

[Jack B.]

Too much thought going into this. It's straight walled pistol brass.

 

[labnoti]

I have started doing just this. The Redding dual-ring would do it all in one step, but is very expensive.

I had one, but the dual-ring does not allow you to adjust how far down the case the neck is resized. Because the distance between the two carbide rings is fixed, you cannot form the neck farther down than where it ends when the body ring bottoms, and if you adjust it for a shorter neck, the body ring won't resize the whole case length. In most cases, I want the neck portion shorter than the Redding die would form, especially for lighter, shorter bullets like 125 grain 357. The fixed distance between the two rings is also limiting when sizing short cases like 38 or 44 Special. Redding actually sells distinct dual-ring dies for these, so you would want different sizing dies for them whereas we normally expect to use the same die as for the magnum. Maybe Redding will make an adjustable two-ring die some day. I think it would still be less costly than a long, tapered carbide insert.

 

[Toprudder]

I had one, but the dual-ring does not allow you to adjust how far down the case the neck is resized. Because the distance between the two carbide rings is fixed, you cannot form the neck farther down than where it ends when the body ring bottoms, and if you adjust it for a shorter neck, the body ring won't resize the whole case length. In most cases, I want the neck portion shorter than the Redding die would form, especially for lighter, shorter bullets like 125 grain 357. The fixed distance between the two rings is also limiting when sizing short cases like 38 or 44 Special. Redding actually sells distinct dual-ring dies for these, so you would want different sizing dies for them whereas we normally expect to use the same die as for the magnum. Maybe Redding will make an adjustable two-ring die some day. I think it would still be less costly than a long, tapered carbide insert.

The problem with using a regular carbide sizing die to size the neck area is also with adjustment - with the die adjusted as high as it will go, it still tends to size too far down on the case. I rigged a crude stop adjustment on the pull handle.